I used to have Win-7 on my Laptop and then, easily, installed MGA-6 in
dual boot mode and I found doing that fairly easy.

However after reading the 'Why Is Linux So Difficult to Install? Because
of Microsoft.' thread on alt.comp.os.win-11 it seems that OP had some
problems setting up dual-boot.

I've now got a new Desktop computer (237GB SSD with 160GB free) which
came with Win-11 pre-installed, so is setting up MGA-9 Linux Dual Boot
with Win-11 going to be difficult??
--
Daniel70

--- MBSE BBS v1.1.7.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (2:250/1@fidonet)

On 15/10/2026 11:24 pm, Daniel70 wrote:

I used to have Win-7 on my Laptop and then, easily, installed MGA-6 in
dual boot mode and I found doing that fairly easy.

However after reading the 'Why Is Linux So Difficult to Install? Because
of Microsoft.' thread on alt.comp.os.win-11 it seems that OP had some problems setting up dual-boot.

I've now got a new Desktop computer (237GB SSD with 160GB free) which
came with Win-11 pre-installed, so is setting up MGA-9 Linux Dual Boot
with Win-11 going to be difficult??

FYI, I was thinking of dividing my 237GB HD something like ....
Part One Win-11 100GB
Part Two Swap 10GB
Part Three MGA-9 System 10GB
Part Four MGA-10 System 10GB
Part Five Home (the rest) 100GB

..... or something like that (open to suggestions).
--
Daniel70

--- MBSE BBS v1.1.7.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (2:250/1@fidonet)

Hello Daniel70!

15 Oct 26 13:24, Daniel70 wrote to all:

I used to have Win-7 on my Laptop and then, easily, installed MGA-6 in

dual boot mode and I found doing that fairly easy.

However after reading the 'Why Is Linux So Difficult to Install?
Because of Microsoft.' thread on alt.comp.os.win-11 it seems that OP
had some
problems setting up dual-boot.

I've now got a new Desktop computer (237GB SSD with 160GB free) which
came with Win-11 pre-installed, so is setting up MGA-9 Linux Dual Boot

with Win-11 going to be difficult??

Do it most of the time and with 2 using Mageia v9/10.

Just remember to select custom and resize primary (with windoz on it) and adjust for more than enough for Win say 50Gb or may be twice that and
select minimum of same 50Gb for Linux (you can go lower depending on what
s/w applications etc you want to install.

As Windows is a very secondary system for me 50 Gb is more than enough and
50 Gb for each *nix partition is also good enough BUT I do use another
drive to house /home but I am running a mail server, BBS and various other systems.

I think most other distros should provide the resizing facility as well but STOP installation if it does NOT as it will overwrote all content
otherwise.

Vincent



SEEN-BY: 25/0 21 250/0 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 13 14 362/6 712/1321

On Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:30:17 -0400, Daniel70 <[email protected]> wrote:

On 15/10/2026 11:24 pm, Daniel70 wrote:

I used to have Win-7 on my Laptop and then, easily, installed MGA-6 in
dual boot mode and I found doing that fairly easy.

However after reading the 'Why Is Linux So Difficult to Install? Because
of Microsoft.' thread on alt.comp.os.win-11 it seems that OP had some
problems setting up dual-boot.

I've now got a new Desktop computer (237GB SSD with 160GB free) which
came with Win-11 pre-installed, so is setting up MGA-9 Linux Dual Boot
with Win-11 going to be difficult??

FYI, I was thinking of dividing my 237GB HD something like ....
Part One Win-11 100GB
Part Two Swap 10GB
Part Three MGA-9 System 10GB
Part Four MGA-10 System 10GB
Part Five Home (the rest) 100GB

.... or something like that (open to suggestions).

I don't have any systems with windows still on them. 10GB is pretty tiny, depending on what you want to install. On my current personal use only
system (not a testing install) ...

$ df|grep -e ^/dev -e ^F
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/nvme0n1p2 98G 17G 76G 19% /
/dev/nvme0n1p1 299M 1.4M 298M 1% /boot/EFI
/dev/nvme0n1p4 822G 333G 490G 41% /home

Regards, Dave Hodgins

--- MBSE BBS v1.1.7.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (2:250/1@fidonet)

On 2026-10-15, Daniel70 <[email protected]> wrote:

I used to have Win-7 on my Laptop and then, easily, installed MGA-6 in
dual boot mode and I found doing that fairly easy.

However after reading the 'Why Is Linux So Difficult to Install? Because
of Microsoft.' thread on alt.comp.os.win-11 it seems that OP had some problems setting up dual-boot.

I've now got a new Desktop computer (237GB SSD with 160GB free) which
came with Win-11 pre-installed, so is setting up MGA-9 Linux Dual Boot
with Win-11 going to be difficult??

All of my cmputers come with Windows installed, and I always make them
dual boot.
The key difficulty is going into windows (Ie setting up windows,) and
then shrinking the partitions, so you have room to install Mageia (why 9
by the way instead of 10?)

The best way is having Windows do it, so that it has to deal with
secrets and changes in Windows. Leave enough room so that you can use it
for the rare (or maybe common for you) Windows programs you want to run--egIncome tax software,.....)

One you have done then install Mageia on the empty space created by the
above. I usually have / (including /var, /usr,/tmp) /local (including /local/home, and having /home a soft link to /usr/home) /local/usrsrc
(with /usr/src poing to /local/usrsrc , /boot/EFI . Also have /mgaspare partition onto which you can place the next version of Magei (Ie the / directory thereof).

But all that is done by Mageia, not Windows.

Since Linux can read/wrte Microsoft partitions, you can also set up
links from the Windows partitions to you own partitions.


--- MBSE BBS v1.1.7.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (2:250/1@fidonet)

On 2026-10-15, Daniel70 <[email protected]> wrote:

On 15/10/2026 11:24 pm, Daniel70 wrote:

I used to have Win-7 on my Laptop and then, easily, installed MGA-6 in
dual boot mode and I found doing that fairly easy.

However after reading the 'Why Is Linux So Difficult to Install? Because
of Microsoft.' thread on alt.comp.os.win-11 it seems that OP had some
problems setting up dual-boot.

I've now got a new Desktop computer (237GB SSD with 160GB free) which
came with Win-11 pre-installed, so is setting up MGA-9 Linux Dual Boot
with Win-11 going to be difficult??

FYI, I was thinking of dividing my 237GB HD something like ....
Part One Win-11 100GB
Part Two Swap 10GB
Part Three MGA-9 System 10GB
Part Four MGA-10 System 10GB
Part Five Home (the rest) 100GB

.... or something like that (open to suggestions).

I gave suggestions but your Mga9 and Mga10 partitions should be much
larger than 10GB. Mine are 30GB and they are about 80% full on one
computer, and on others they are 40 or 50 GB and are still 80 or 90%
full. Ie you will install stuff, and th epartitions will get stuffed.

--- MBSE BBS v1.1.7.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (2:250/1@fidonet)

On 16/10/2026 4:04 pm, William Unruh wrote:

On 2026-10-15, Daniel70 <[email protected]> wrote:

On 15/10/2026 11:24 pm, Daniel70 wrote:

I used to have Win-7 on my Laptop and then, easily, installed MGA-6 in
dual boot mode and I found doing that fairly easy.

However after reading the 'Why Is Linux So Difficult to Install? Because >>> of Microsoft.' thread on alt.comp.os.win-11 it seems that OP had some
problems setting up dual-boot.

I've now got a new Desktop computer (237GB SSD with 160GB free) which
came with Win-11 pre-installed, so is setting up MGA-9 Linux Dual Boot
with Win-11 going to be difficult??

FYI, I was thinking of dividing my 237GB HD something like ....
Part One Win-11 100GB
Part Two Swap 10GB
Part Three MGA-9 System 10GB
Part Four MGA-10 System 10GB
Part Five Home (the rest) 100GB

.... or something like that (open to suggestions).

I gave suggestions but your Mga9 and Mga10 partitions should be much
larger than 10GB. Mine are 30GB and they are about 80% full on one
computer, and on others they are 40 or 50 GB and are still 80 or 90%
full. Ie you will install stuff, and th epartitions will get stuffed.

Bugger! I'm sure on my old HP Laptop, the partitions for MGA6 and, I
think, one of the other Linux's, the System partitions were 10GB ....
and that gave me heaps of spare space for stuff.

Perhaps I didn't install much stuff apart from the basic Systems.
--
Daniel70

--- MBSE BBS v1.1.7.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (2:250/1@fidonet)

On 16/10/2026 3:59 pm, William Unruh wrote:

On 2026-10-15, Daniel70 <[email protected]> wrote:

I used to have Win-7 on my Laptop and then, easily, installed MGA-6
in dual boot mode and I found doing that fairly easy.

However after reading the 'Why Is Linux So Difficult to Install?
Because of Microsoft.' thread on alt.comp.os.win-11 it seems that
OP had some problems setting up dual-boot.

I've now got a new Desktop computer (237GB SSD with 160GB free)
which came with Win-11 pre-installed, so is setting up MGA-9 Linux
Dual Boot with Win-11 going to be difficult??

All of my cmputers come with Windows installed, and I always make
them dual boot. The key difficulty is going into windows (Ie setting
up windows,) and then shrinking the partitions, so you have room to
install Mageia (why 9 by the way instead of 10?)

Limited Internet Account size .... which I have already exceeded for
this month (with ends on 20th of month), so as I've already d/l'd the
MGA9 OS, I could just install it and then upgrade that to MGA10.

The best way is having Windows do it,

When I installed MGA6 on the old Laptop, I seem to remember the
Installation process gave me the opportunity to configure the HD the way
I wanted.

I'm hoping the MGA9 Installation process allows me to divide the HD the
way I want as well.

so that it has to deal with secrets and changes in Windows. Leave
enough room so that you can use it for the rare (or maybe common for
you) Windows programs you want to run--egIncome tax software,.....)

(Hmmm!! Must get around to doing the last three years of Income Tax
Returns eventually. Just as well I'm expecting/hoping for big'ish
returns for each of the three years!! ;-P )

One you have done then install Mageia on the empty space created by
the above. I usually have / (including /var, /usr,/tmp) /local
(including /local/home, and having /home a soft link to /usr/home)

Never really worked out 'soft links'. If my Word processor is on the
/Home/WP partition, why not just have an icon going to that location??

/local/usrsrc (with /usr/src poing to /local/usrsrc , /boot/EFI .
Also have /mgaspare partition onto which you can place the next
version of Magei (Ie the / directory thereof).

Which is why I usually have two root partitions, one active and one
ready for next Version of the OS.

But all that is done by Mageia, not Windows.

Yeap.

Since Linux can read/wrte Microsoft partitions, you can also set up
links from the Windows partitions to you own partitions.

Yeap, been there done that .... on Win7/Mageia6, I had me SeaMonkey
Profile stuff on the Win7 partition so both the Win7 SeaMonkey and the
Mageia6 Linux SeaMonkey could BOTH use the one set of Profile files.

--
Daniel70

--- MBSE BBS v1.1.7.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (2:250/1@fidonet)

On 2026-10-16, Daniel70 <[email protected]> wrote:

On 16/10/2026 4:04 pm, William Unruh wrote:

On 2026-10-15, Daniel70 <[email protected]> wrote:

On 15/10/2026 11:24 pm, Daniel70 wrote:

I used to have Win-7 on my Laptop and then, easily, installed MGA-6 in >>>> dual boot mode and I found doing that fairly easy.

However after reading the 'Why Is Linux So Difficult to Install? Because >>>> of Microsoft.' thread on alt.comp.os.win-11 it seems that OP had some
problems setting up dual-boot.

I've now got a new Desktop computer (237GB SSD with 160GB free) which
came with Win-11 pre-installed, so is setting up MGA-9 Linux Dual Boot >>>> with Win-11 going to be difficult??

FYI, I was thinking of dividing my 237GB HD something like ....
Part One Win-11 100GB
Part Two Swap 10GB
Part Three MGA-9 System 10GB
Part Four MGA-10 System 10GB
Part Five Home (the rest) 100GB

.... or something like that (open to suggestions).

I gave suggestions but your Mga9 and Mga10 partitions should be much
larger than 10GB. Mine are 30GB and they are about 80% full on one
computer, and on others they are 40 or 50 GB and are still 80 or 90%
full. Ie you will install stuff, and th epartitions will get stuffed.

Bugger! I'm sure on my old HP Laptop, the partitions for MGA6 and, I
think, one of the other Linux's, the System partitions were 10GB ....
and that gave me heaps of spare space for stuff.

The partitions grow, esp the / partition. Journald stuff takes up a lot
room after a while, /var grows . So while the original pristine / may
well fit into 10gb, after a year it will be full.

Perhaps I didn't install much stuff apart from the basic Systems.

It is not the original installed stuff (although 10GB is small over
the past 20 years since Mga6, every program has gotten much larger.


--- MBSE BBS v1.1.7.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (2:250/1@fidonet)

Reply-To: [email protected]

On 10/26/26 06:05, William Unruh wrote:

On 2026-10-16, Daniel70 <[email protected]> wrote:

On 16/10/2026 4:04 pm, William Unruh wrote:

On 2026-10-15, Daniel70 <[email protected]> wrote:

On 15/10/2026 11:24 pm, Daniel70 wrote:

I used to have Win-7 on my Laptop and then, easily, installed MGA-6 in >>>>> dual boot mode and I found doing that fairly easy.

However after reading the 'Why Is Linux So Difficult to Install? Because >>>>> of Microsoft.' thread on alt.comp.os.win-11 it seems that OP had some >>>>> problems setting up dual-boot.

I've now got a new Desktop computer (237GB SSD with 160GB free) which >>>>> came with Win-11 pre-installed, so is setting up MGA-9 Linux Dual Boot >>>>> with Win-11 going to be difficult??

FYI, I was thinking of dividing my 237GB HD something like ....
Part One Win-11 100GB
Part Two Swap 10GB
Part Three MGA-9 System 10GB
Part Four MGA-10 System 10GB
Part Five Home (the rest) 100GB

.... or something like that (open to suggestions).

I gave suggestions but your Mga9 and Mga10 partitions should be much
larger than 10GB. Mine are 30GB and they are about 80% full on one
computer, and on others they are 40 or 50 GB and are still 80 or 90%
full. Ie you will install stuff, and th epartitions will get stuffed.

Bugger! I'm sure on my old HP Laptop, the partitions for MGA6 and, I
think, one of the other Linux's, the System partitions were 10GB ....
and that gave me heaps of spare space for stuff.

The partitions grow, esp the / partition. Journald stuff takes up a lot
room after a while, /var grows . So while the original pristine / may
well fit into 10gb, after a year it will be full.

Perhaps I didn't install much stuff apart from the basic Systems.

It is not the original installed stuff (although 10GB is small over
the past 20 years since Mga6, every program has gotten much larger.

Windows of any era is best run in a virtual machine because
the Windows update will send you a kernel with no warning and
rewrite the boot information for your whole machine. To the
best of my understanding and knowledge. Dual-boot will be
doomed to problems as a result. Yes Windows has a kernel.

bliss- Dell 7730- PCLinuxOS 2026.10 Linux 6.18.58 Plasma 6.7.5



--- MBSE BBS v1.1.7.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Dis. (2:250/1@fidonet)